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Spring cleaning can be a dreaded task, especially after a few months of neglecting your outdoor areas and spaces. Now that spring has sprung, take a walk around your yard, garden, and patio areas to assess what you’ll need to get done before summer hits.

Get a jump on the project so when the weather warms up, you’ll be able to enjoy your yard and begin planting, landscaping, hosting parties, and more without having to do last-minute cleanup!

1.) What’s Your Plan?When you first walk into your yard, you might notice you haven’t taken a good look at your backyard in a few months. There may be more to be done than you expected. Walk around and make a list of the small and large tasks that can be taken care of right away. Plot a course of action for what can be done first, then think about what your overall goal is for some of the larger projects that arise. Also, make sure you have tools and equipment for repairing and cleaning.

Broom

Garbage bags or wheel barrel for debris

Tree and plant trimmers

Hammer, screw driver, and nails for small repairs

Wash cloth and water

Hose

Touch-up paint for buildings

2.) Garbage and DebrisAs you’re walking around, you’ll notice any garbage laying around that may have blown into your yard. Take time to clean up any trash. Leaves and brush may have been left behind from fall. Rake any plant debris lying around and bag to use in compost or save as insulator for prepping plants for winter next fall. Do you have pets? Clean up any messes they’ve made that may create obstacles later on.

3.) Assess Your Plants and TreesHow are your annual plants looking? Take time to trim and clean up their appearance, as well as the area surrounding them. Did the wind and storms damage any trees or plants? You may look around and see broken branches or a newly planted tree leaning slightly. Make sure you take any clearly broken parts of trees or plants off the plant, or pick them up from the surrounding area. Give your trees proper support (you may have to wait until the ground warms up to apply stakes for support if you live in a cold climate). Make note of any plants and trees that look like they won’t make it another season, and note where to remove and re-plant.

4.) Structure Repair and CleanupIf you have a barn, pole barn, shed, lean-to, dog kennel, or any other type of structure in your yard that has been neglected in the last few months, check them out. Look for damage, areas to be cleaned out, and the overall look of the outside (if it will need a good washing), especially if it is an older structure. If you live in a cold climate, winter can be tough on buildings, so make sure you know of any repairs that need to be taken care of before they will need to be used for summer. Take time to clean out cobwebs, dirt and dust, or rodent-takeover. Wash windows, re-paint siding, and fix leaking roofs.

5.) Pond and Backyard Water FeaturesOnce the ice comes off your pond or water feature, it’s time to start thinking of how you are going to prevent weeds and algae from taking over this summer. Pondproducts are a great way to combat your problems with floating or submerged weeds. Use a pond herbicide, such as Dibrox®, to tackle duckweed, milfoil, or hydrilla. Dibrox® is quickly absorbed by the plants and you will see fast results.If you have algae in your pond or water feature, using a chelated copper based algaecide will quickly control the filamentous algae. As the temperatures start to climb, algae can return quite often. Continue to use an algaecide, such as Mizzen®, to keep your water looking crystal clear. Lake Restoration, Inc., offers solutions to help you see clear and beautiful water in your pond or water feature all summer long.

6.) Patio Condition If you have a porch, deck, or patio area, you probably need to clean and repair anything that needs some T.L.C before you host any summer get-togethers. Clean and wash any patio furniture you have (chairs, tables, umbrellas, cushions, etc.). Sweep and pressure wash your concrete surface, or sweep and wash your deck. If your deck looks like it could use a fresh coat of paint, plan on doing so when the weather warms up and becomes slightly more stable (avoiding rainy days). If you have plants around your patio area, make sure they are in good condition and trim them if needed. Plan where to re-plant or add to your plant area.

7.) Till Your GardenSoil can be tilled in the spring. You must wait until the soil is dry and warm enough. You should till your garden when the dirt crumbles in your hand (indicating it is dry) and when it reaches 60°. You can also get bean stocks and tomato cages ready for when it’s time to plant.

Spring cleanup can be a bit of work depending on the amount you find needs to be done, but once you have a plan, your yard will be looking summer-ready in no time at all!

Outdoor ice skating rinks have long been a staple in the winter. They are great for hosting a variety of activities, including boot hockey, stick hockey, and figure skating, to name a few. If you’re in a region where a thick layer of ice forms on your lake or pond each winter, try making your own ice rink for tons of winter fun!

Always make sure the ice is thick enough and safe enough to walk on before doing so.

Step One: Clear your ice

If there is a layer of snow on top of your ice, get a shovel and clear the snow. You may also opt to use a snow-blower to do the job quickly! You can clear the snow into whatever shape or size you want your rink to be. Clear off your whole area, or just a portion of it, depending on the type of activities you’ll be doing.

If you do have snow to clear, you can also use the snow as a buffer or ridge to stop stray pucks from sliding too far across the lake or getting lost on the outside of your pond. It also acts as a boundary or “out of bounds” indicator if you plan on playing hockey or other games.

Step Two: Create a smooth surface

This step is for pond owners. If you have a small enough pond, you can let your hose run water onto the surface. The water will fill in any holes, cracks, or uneven surfaces once it freezes. You will be left with a smooth surface that ice skates won’t get tripped up on.

Step Three: Set up a lighting, benches, a warming house, etc.

Once you have the pond cleared and the surface smooth and ready, you can think about things to add. Will you be spending long hours on the rink? Bring your fish house down to the water so you have a place to warm up, put skates on, etc. If you don’t have a warming house, think about setting up chairs for people to sit in when they come off the ice, or when they are taking off skates/boots. Will you be playing at night? Bring a light down to the lake or pond with an extension cord so people can see in the dark.

Step Four: Get out on the ice and enjoy!

Now that you have everything set up and ready to go, you can finally start enjoying your new ice rink! Whether the kids start a neighborhood pond hockey league, or you try out your skating skills, there’s great fun to be had on the ice!

If you use this guide, show us your photos of your finished ice rink! Share with us on Facebook.

Summer is here! That means if you live by a lake or pond, you are exploring options on how to treat weeds and algae. Treating weeds and algae takes time and planning, and can sometimes be a daunting task depending on how accessible your water features are (and how easily you can get in a boat to treat your pond with a sprayer).

Do you have trouble getting into your water with a boat to be able to spray or dump product in your pond or dock and swim area? Do you want to take the chore out of treating for weeds and algae each year?

The TORMADA® application boat, manufactured by Lake Restoration, will solve those problems for you, making applying liquid product to your water simple and fun! With the TORMADA® application boat, you can stand at your dock or shore and empty product from the TORMADA® with a remote control.

The TORMADA® can be used with many liquid Lake Restoration herbicides and algaecides, and even some pest control products. Some products include:

· Dibrox®

· Mizzen®

· Liquid 2,4-D

· Liquid SparKlear®

· Spritflo®

The TORMADA® comes in two different models. The standard TORMADA® comes ready to go right out of the box. The TORMADA T2 also comes ready to go, but the boat features an electric ON/OFF valve that allows you to control the product outflow by remote. This allows you to drive to the product treatment are with the product valve closed. Once the boat gets to the treatment site, you can open the valve and apply the product.

The battery operates for approximately 20 minutes on one charge, and the tank capacity is one gallon. The remote control allows you to control fan speed and direction. At under 3ft long and weighing only 20 pounds, the TORMADA® is easy to maneuver to your water area and is easy to clean.

Using the TORMADA®

Filling the TORMADA® with liquid products is easy and should be done on the shore before putting the TORMADA® in the water. Simply place a funnel into the opening on top of the TORMADA® and pour in product. Put the cap back on the tank opening and place the TORMADA® in the water. Turn the valve on the TORMADA® to the flow rate you would like (or adjust it on the T2 Series with the remote control). Planning your route ahead of time will help save product and time. Bring the TORMADA® back to shore and close the flow valve.

The TORMADA® will save you time and effort when treating your weeds this summer. There’s no better time to order than now to take advantage of our FREE SHIPPING* offer! Give it a try today!

Spring cleaning can be a dreaded task, especially after a few months of neglecting your outdoor areas and spaces. Now that spring has sprung, take a walk around your yard, garden, and patio areas to assess what you’ll need to get done before summer hits.

Get a jump on the project so when the weather warms up, you’ll be able to enjoy your yard and begin planting, landscaping, hosting parties, and more without having to do last-minute cleanup!

1.) What’s Your Plan?When you first walk into your yard, you might notice you haven’t taken a good look at your backyard in a few months. There may be more to be done than you expected. Walk around and make a list of the small and large tasks that can be taken care of right away. Plot a course of action for what can be done first, then think about what your overall goal is for some of the larger projects that arise. Also, make sure you have tools and equipment for repairing and cleaning.

Broom

Garbage bags or wheel barrel for debris

Tree and plant trimmers

Hammer, screw driver, and nails for small repairs

Wash cloth and water

Hose

Touch-up paint for buildings

2.) Garbage and DebrisAs you’re walking around, you’ll notice any garbage laying around that may have blown into your yard. Take time to clean up any trash. Leaves and brush may have been left behind from fall. Rake any plant debris lying around and bag to use in compost or save as insulator for prepping plants for winter next fall. Do you have pets? Clean up any messes they’ve made that may create obstacles later on.

3.) Assess Your Plants and TreesHow are your annual plants looking? Take time to trim and clean up their appearance, as well as the area surrounding them. Did the wind and storms damage any trees or plants? You may look around and see broken branches or a newly planted tree leaning slightly. Make sure you take any clearly broken parts of trees or plants off the plant, or pick them up from the surrounding area. Give your trees proper support (you may have to wait until the ground warms up to apply stakes for support if you live in a cold climate). Make note of any plants and trees that look like they won’t make it another season, and note where to remove and re-plant.

4.) Structure Repair and CleanupIf you have a barn, pole barn, shed, lean-to, dog kennel, or any other type of structure in your yard that has been neglected in the last few months, check them out. Look for damage, areas to be cleaned out, and the overall look of the outside (if it will need a good washing), especially if it is an older structure. If you live in a cold climate, winter can be tough on buildings, so make sure you know of any repairs that need to be taken care of before they will need to be used for summer. Take time to clean out cobwebs, dirt and dust, or rodent-takeover. Wash windows, re-paint siding, and fix leaking roofs.

5.) Pond and Backyard Water FeaturesOnce the ice comes off your pond or water feature, it’s time to start thinking of how you are going to prevent weeds and algae from taking over this summer. Pond herbicides are a great way to combat your problems with floating or submerged weeds. Use a pond herbicide, such as Dibrox®, to tackle duckweed, milfoil, or hydrilla. Dibrox® is quickly absorbed by the plants and you will see fast results.If you have algae in your pond or water feature, using a chelated copper based algaecide will quickly control the filamentous algae. As the temperatures start to climb, algae can return quite often. Continue to use an algaecide, such as Mizzen®, to keep your water looking crystal clear. Lake Restoration, Inc., offers solutions to help you see clear and beautiful water in your pond or water feature all summer long.

6.) Patio Condition If you have a porch, deck, or patio area, you probably need to clean and repair anything that needs some T.L.C before you host any summer get-togethers. Clean and wash any patio furniture you have (chairs, tables, umbrellas, cushions, etc.). Sweep and pressure wash your concrete surface, or sweep and wash your deck. If your deck looks like it could use a fresh coat of paint, plan on doing so when the weather warms up and becomes slightly more stable (avoiding rainy days). If you have plants around your patio area, make sure they are in good condition and trim them if needed. Plan where to re-plant or add to your plant area.

7.) Till Your GardenSoil can be tilled in the spring. You must wait until the soil is dry and warm enough. You should till your garden when the dirt crumbles in your hand (indicating it is dry) and when it reaches 60°. You can also get bean stocks and tomato cages ready for when it’s time to plant.

Spring cleanup can be a bit of work depending on the amount you find needs to be done, but once you have a plan, your yard will be looking summer-ready in no time at all!